Ink sublimation techniques are known within the printing industry. Ink sublimation refers to the process by which specialized inks are forced (by pressure, heat, diffusion, or some other means) into the open pores of a heated polymerized material. Once the polymeric material is cooled, the pores close, leaving the ink fused or amalgamated into the polymeric material. Ink sublimation processes result in very durable, wear-resistant, scratch-resistant prints since the ink is projected from within the polymerized material. In effect, the polymer is “tattooed” with ink. Printing, using ink sublimation techniques on polymers, can be overlaid on various substrates, including glass, metal, wood, stone, plastics, ceramics, and the like. After adhering an appropriate polymer to the surface thereof, sublimating appropriate inks or dyes into the polymer produces an image.
Using ink sublimation techniques on porous or stoney materials, such as stone, brick, concrete, or the like gives rise to several issues. First, polymers typically used within the masonry industry are sealants giving stone a lacquered or varnished look, thus making the stone appear unnatural. None of the traditional known polymers have proven suitable for maintaining the stone or masonry in a naturally appearing state, while accepting an image. Moreover, polymers traditionally applicable to stone or other masonry may insufficiently penetrate the stone surface, thereby providing an insufficient level of durability. Thus, ink sublimation images using traditional masonry polymers may only reside superficially upon the polymer lacquer and not penetrate the stone's surface. Thus, image and polymer may be easily worn or scraped away.
Images may be applied to a variety of items to increase their artistic appeal and appearance. Images intended for mere viewing or used in accordance with applications subjected to light wear may not require excessive durability. However, in certain stone and masonry applications that endure frequent wear, weather, and cleaning, methods and materials are needed to print durable images for applications such as stone counter tops, flooring, furniture, walls, steps, monuments, tombstones, statues, handrails, bathtubs, and the like. The traditional masonry polymers used are insufficient in this regard, do not penetrate the stone face, do not embed an image into the stone face, and may be easily worn from the surface thereof, thereby providing an unacceptable level of durability.
What is needed is a new class of polymers and techniques that may be applied to various materials such as stone and other masonry materials, while being imperceptible to a viewer, thereby maintaining the stone's natural appearance.
What is further needed is a polymer and method that sufficiently penetrates the stone surface and accepts a sublimated image penetrated into the stone, thereby providing durable prints that may not be easily worn from the stone's surface, since they are subsurface images and wear only at the same rate as the stone or masonry surface.